The UEFA Europa League is often overlooked for its more glamorous Champions League big brother. However, Europe’s secondary competition has been one of the most entertaining places for action in recent years.

Last season, the battle between underperforming English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur was a thrill ride. Both outfits expect to qualify for the Champions League, but they knew that that wouldn’t be possible through the Premier League, courtesy of their miserable domestic campaigns. As such, it became clear that the only way the two giants would be able to return to the top table of European football was by winning the Europa League.

Both sides had to endure drama on the road to Bilbao. The Red Devils staged a stunning comeback against Lyon in the quarterfinals, scoring two goals within a minute at the end of extra time to progress. Spurs, meanwhile, had to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, rallying to win 3-1 on home turf and progress.

This season, online betting sites make one of United and Tottenham’s English compatriots the clear favorites to win the Europa League. But who is that team? Let’s take a look at them and their biggest rivals for glory.

Aston Villa

The latest odds from https://www.luckyrebel.la/sportsbook make current Premier League high Aston Villa the 11/4 favorites to win the Europa League this term, well clear of the rest of the competition. The Villans haven’t won a continental trophy since winning the European Cup way back in 1982, but their recent rebirth under Unai Emery has the West Midlands club dreaming big once again.

Villa have finished in the top six of the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, even reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season. This term, they are flying once more and currently sit third, just seven points behind table-topping Arsenal. But while catching the Gunners could be somewhat of an unassailable task, the Europa League represents a much more achievable piece of silverware for Emery’s men.

The Premier League outfit finished the League Phase in second place, winning all but one of their eight games, dispatching household names in the process. Bologna, Feyenoord, and Fenerbahçe were all beaten by the Villans, and it’s clear to see why the bookies are so big on their chances.

Roma

Roma are considered the second-favorites, with the bookies pricing them at 7/1 to leave Istanbul with the trophy in May. The Giallorossi shone in Europe under former manager Jose Mourinho, winning the inaugural Conference League back in 2022, before reaching the Europa League final the following year, losing in controversial fashion to Sevilla after a penalty shootout.

This season, Roma have had to endure their ups and downs. They sat at the top of the Italian Serie A after 12 matchdays. Fast forward to now, and they find themselves way down in fifth place and out of Scudetto contention. Still, with players such as Paulo Dybala, captain Gianluca Mancini, and French international midfielder Manu Koné, this is a squad stacked with talent.

As well as that, their manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has previous experience with the Europa League. The majestic Italian boss led Atalanta to the crown two years ago, memorably beating the unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Dublin final, courtesy of an Ademola Lookman hat trick. Gasperini swapped Bergamo for the Eternal City in the summer, and he will be aiming to bring his continental heroics to the Stadio Olimpico with him.

Lyon

French giants Lyon are rising once again. Throughout the 2000s, Les Gones were the dominant force in French football, winning seven straight titles between 2001/02 and 2007/08. Since then, however, the rise of Paris Saint-Germain and their Qatari billions knocked the club off its perch.

Just one trophy has headed to the Groupama Stadium in the years since, and that was a Coupe de France, which came all the way back in 2012. However, there have been signs this season that the French giant may well be waking from its lengthy slumber.

After a disappointing start, Lyon have been on quite the tear in recent weeks. They were languishing in seventh place in Ligue 1 at the end of November. However, they are now unbeaten since the turn of the year, winning six straight league games since mid-December to rise to third place in the table.

In the Europa League, they have been the stars of the show. Paulo Fonseca led his side to top spot in the league phase, also with seven wins from eight, but finishing above Aston Villa on goal difference. If they can carry that kind of form into the knockout rounds, they may well upset their 9/1 title odds.